The rise in the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is becoming a national health crisis, identifying and treating its underlying causes is a critical health challenge. A team of scientists and clinicians at LSUHS had their groundbreaking findings published in the prestigious “Alzheimer’s & Dementia, The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association”. 

Los Angeles Times - Scientists have found that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is capable of infecting two types of brain cells — neurons and astrocytes. Scientists have been trying to understand why and how it causes these issues in the brain, said study leader Diana Cruz-Topete, a molecular endocrinologist at LSU Health Shreveport.

Dr. Kim is a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Changwon Park.

New research offers an up-close view of how SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can spread to the brain. The study helps explain the alarming array of neurological symptoms reported in some patients with COVID-19, as well as why some patients suffer severe neurological effects while others experience none at all.

Associate Professor, Dr. Changwon Park is a new addition to the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology. The major effort of his lab is to decipher the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms as to the successful generation of the cardiovascular constituents, namely endothelial, endocardium, cardiomyocytes, and hematopoietic cells that share the multipotent cardiovascular progenitors, FLK1 (also known as VEGFR2) expressing cells.

Diana Cruz, PhD, Assistant Professor, joined the LSUHS Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology in July 2016. Her current research looks at the interface between the endocrine and cardiovascular systems, emphasizing the effects of stress signaling (glucocorticoid receptors) on cardiovascular health.

Ryan Mackay, MD-PhD Student has been awarded an F30 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the NIH. The award is designed to enhance the integrated research and clinical training of promising predoctoral students who are in MD-PhD Programs.

Ryan Mackay was recently awarded a F30 Fellowship from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) for his project entitled, "Investigating a novel role for Top2a in R-loop resolution and in YM155 mechanism of action".

Congratulations to Gaganpreet Kaur, senior graduate student in the Harris lab! She has recently received numerous awards.

We are excited to announce that the paper "3D Printing for Bio-Synthetic Biliary Stents" is nominated for the 2020 Best Paper
Award from Bioengineering journal.